Naruto Mini Story
by Lady Zemaria
Summary: A mini story about Zemaria and the consequences to following her Father Orochimaru around.


Once upon a time there was a powerful Ninja with the special rank of Sannin. His name was Orochimaru. He along with Tsunade and Jiraiya made up the three legendary Sannin of the Hidden Leaf Village. After a very short lived relationship with Tsunade, Orochimaru gained a daughter. Her name was Zemaria.

It was when little Zemaria was only three that Orochimaru fled from the Leaf Village. However, he didn't leave alone. When he left, he stole away Zemaria with him. Of course, she was daddy's little girl and would follow him to the ends of the Earth. Even worse than that, she'd die for him.

They fled to the Land of the Sea and Orochimaru had a lab inside of one of the Islands. His lab was where he did his most vial experiments. Zemaria was no exception to his experimenting. Orochimaru had another young girl at his disposal; Anko Mitarashi. She was Orochimaru's main student. Anko was only ten years old. It was currently close to sundown when Orochimaru and Zemaria left the gates of the Village.

It wasn't long before word got out about his leaving without having orders from the Hokage to leave or having a valid reason. Even for being three years old, Zemaria was more than capable of keeping up with him. She wasn't going to fall behind knowing the consequences to leaving the Village without proper permission.

"Once we cross the border there will be less of a need to be quick in our pace," he told her.

"Okay daddy," she said.

Jiraiya insisted on being the one to get him back, "Orochimaru!" He hadn't noticed Zemaria with him.

Orochimaru glanced over his shoulder to Zemaria, "Hide, quickly," he whispered.

She nodded and stealthily hid behind the trees. Orochimaru turned and stopped to face Jiraiya. Sannin against Sannin. Jiraiya tried to talk to Orochimaru to stay in the Village but his words were only in vain. He made his decision and the only option was to leave. The Third Hokage found him out with what he had been doing.

He had been experimenting on Leaf Shinobi and Villagers to create forbidden Jutsu. Jiraiya had no other choice; he had to fight Orochimaru. If he didn't leave the Village he would end up in prison for his crimes. They engaged in battle as Zemaria watched from her hiding place. Eventually Jiraiya gained the upper hand and Orochimaru was backed into the trunk of a tree they ended up in.

Jiraiya was about to end things when Zemaria quickly learned Chakra control. She ran up the side of a tree parallel to the one they were in and jumped over landing between the two Sannin. Orochimaru was on his knees panting.

"Stop this now," she insisted, her arms stretched out.

"Zemaria?" Jiraiya said shocked. "Orochimaru, you've dragged your daughter into this too?"

He laughed lightly, "Her being with me was through her own free will. She practically hung on my leg begging me to take her along."

She stood her ground, "Leave daddy alone."

Jiraiya crossed his arms, "I would if I had the choice. Orochimaru has to pay for the wrongs he's done here in the Village instead of running from it. Do you honestly want to throw away being a good honest Shinobi just to become a rouge Ninja following around your criminal father?"

"I don't care. He's still my dad," she stubbornly replied.

Orochimaru wrapped his arm around her and continued fleeing. It wasn't too much longer before they reached the border. He had Zemaria cross over first before he followed her close behind. They started off to the Land of the Sea and headed for Demon Island. That was where one of the many labs Orochimaru had was. Anko already was staying on the Island.

Demon Island wasn't horribly far out of the Land of Fire. Once they reached the Island, Orochimaru got Zemaria settled in. Later that night he tucked her in bed.

"We won't be staying here too long. Anbu will find this building in a short time," he said.

"Then where will we go after this?" She asked.

"Don't worry, there are plenty of places for us to go," he smiled and kissed her good night.

"Good night daddy," she said closing her eyes.

He pulled her cover up a bit, "Good night dear."

He left the room shutting the light off as he walked out. The next day she would meet Anko and it wouldn't be long after that he would leave and she'd follow as she did that day fleeing from the Leaf. Morning came quickly. Zemaria yawned, stretched, and cracked an eye open. She energetically jumped out of bed and frolicked through the lab. Orochimaru's current right hand man Amachi was roaming around as well.

He saw Zemaria in one of the halls, "Lady Zemaria, you're awake already?"

She nodded smiling, "I don't like mornings but I thought I'd wake up."

Orochimaru reached the hall they were in, "Morning Zemaria."

"Morning daddy!" She smiled cheerfully.

He laughed lightly. It was odd for someone like Orochimaru to even remotely possess a heart towards _anyone_ but there he was laughing whole heartedly in a non-threatening manner. There was just something about him having a daughter that made him seem less evil and heartless. It must have been the fact that Zemaria looked identical to him. She had his eyes, hair, and even the same ability to infinitely stretch her tongue out.

She was a snake same as him. It was like she was a mini twin to him. She made him feel warmth in his heart. He never wanted her to be in danger and would protect her even if it was his own fault she was in a bad situation. Anyway, he asked her to follow him to meet Anko whom was in the kitchen cleaning dishes. Anko dropped a small ceramic bowl she was drying. As she picked up the pieces from the floor, Orochimaru stood behind her.

"Tell me, what happened just now?" He asked.

"I'm sorry. It just slipped out of my hand," her voice seemed a little nervous.

"The Leaf Village knows about what I've been doing. It won't be long before they find this place. We'll be leaving here soon," he informed her. "Oh, and this is Zemaria my daughter."

Anko stood up with the broken pieces in her hands, "It's nice to meet you Zemaria. Lord Orochimaru, how soon will we be leaving?"

He smiled at her, "There's one last thing I must do here and then we'll be going."

With that, Orochimaru permitted Anko to play with Zemaria. They went off and decided to practice Ninjutsu together. Since Anko was older, she had more Chakra control and was able to use more Jutsu than Zemaria. However, Zemaria had good Chakra control and already knew how to walk up trees and walk on water. She was advanced for her age.

After a while, it came to dinner time. Anko already started taking to Zemaria like an elder sister. They got along quite well for having such an age gap. She took good care of her and even prepared food for her that night. After dinner, Anko invited Zemaria to stay with her in her room for the night. Orochimaru was pleased with how well the two were getting along and was a bit 'saddened' by the fact that he would be the one to end it very soon.

"Oh Anko, it's nice to see how my daughter can have someone to look up to. I'm just sorry it may come crashing down tomorrow," he thought to himself and went to bed.

A couple hours passed and Zemaria woke up, "Big sister Anko?" She nudged her, "Big sister Anko?"

Anko opened her eyes, "What is it? Is something wrong?"

"I can't sleep," she told her.

"Here," she lifted her blanket up, "You can sleep on the bed with me then."

Zemaria got on the bed under the covers and they drifted back to sleep. Morning soon crept its way through the window of the room. Anko woke up first. She gently woke Zemaria up. They changed and got ready for breakfast. Afterwards, Orochimaru took Anko to a small shack type of building on another island. He bestowed upon her... the curse mark.

"Lord Orochimaru? Why? Why have you done this to me?" She asked horrified and in pain.

He simply smiled and left the shack locking the door behind him. Amachi was with him as well. They returned to the lab and took Zemaria aside. Orochimaru wasn't through with his experimenting. He strapped his daughter to an operating table and instructed Amachi to inject her with a newly developed poison.

"Daddy? What are you doing?" She asked squirming on the table.

"Relax child. This won't hurt too much. If you're lucky, you'll survive it," he told her.

Amachi injected the poison into her bloodstream. She screamed in pain. The poison flowed through her blood. It started fusing itself with red blood cells and killed off many white blood cells in the process. She began burning up. Her body temperature rose quickly.

Amachi felt her forehead, "My Lord, she's running a fever."

Orochimaru watched his daughter, "Give her an anesthetic and keep an eye on her temperature."

Amachi nodded and did what he said. Zemaria fell unconscious and remained as such for several hours. When she awoke, she was encased in a mist of poison. Its color was black. Was it harmful? How did it get in the room? Or... was _she_ the one responsible for it? Amachi came into the room wearing a special mask to avoid inhaling the poison.

He had company too from cats to dogs to a couple of Orochimaru's followers/test subjects. Amachi told the followers to attack Zemaria as he unstrapped her from the table. She was shaking lightly. They did as they were told and attacked her. Zemaria let out her retractable claws and started defending herself. Her claws were coated with the same poison that was floating around the room.

"What is this? When did I get retractable claws?" She asked herself.

"I see you've discovered your new retractables," Amachi said.

The followers she scratched with her new claws dropped to the floor in pain and keeled over dead. Amachi started laughing. Zemaria got off the table and ran out of the room. She ran right into her father.

"Daddy! What did you do to me!?" She cried.

"Awe, come now child. I only made you stronger," he told her.

He knelt down and held her close. In his eyes, he was doing his daughter a favor and helping her grow even stronger. She cried in his arms even though she wanted to run away and go back to the Leaf. Something inside of her made her stay. She couldn't betray her own father.

"Look, there is just one more thing I'd like for you to help me with. After that we can leave this place together," he said.

"What about big sis Anko? Isn't she coming too?" She asked him.

"That depends on whether things work out or not," he told her.

She agreed to help him. Later that day she was strapped to the table again. This time, Amachi injected extract from a thorny plant into her bloodstream. Orochimaru's goal was to create a new sort of Kekkei Genkai. It was to be something that no one else had ever possessed and once Zemaria had kids it would hopefully be passed on to them too creating a new bloodline trait.

Zemaria's skin started to change colors. It was changing in appearance other than color too; thorns popped up all over her. She thrashed around. This was far more painful than the last time. She let out a deafening scream of pain. It was so high pitched that the beakers in the room shattered. Orochimaru and Amachi covered their ears until she stopped.

"It hurts... father..." she cried out before losing consciousness once more.

Her skin reverted back to normal and her breathing became shallow. A few minutes passed. Then there was nothing. By nothing, I mean Zemaria's heart stopped.

"My Lord! She's stopped breathing!" Amachi said shocked and checked for a pulse. "She doesn't have a pulse. What do you want me to do?"

Orochimaru was concerned at first, "Get her heart pumping again, quickly!"

Amachi tried to jump start her heart. The moment he got too close to her chest, vines wrapped around his arm. Zemaria was no longer amongst the living yet these vines were coming to her aid. Amachi was able to free himself but failed to get close enough to Zemaria's heart to get it started again.

"Teh. Leave her then. This experiment clearly has failed. Her body wasn't capable of retaining the vines to control them. What a shame. And here I thought I'd have an heir once I was gone," he said disappointed.

The two left the room with Zemaria still strapped to the table to check on Anko. Maybe she had a better outcome. Amachi unlocked the door and they entered. Anko was lying on the floor, her face covered in her tears. She seemed unconscious but not dead.

"She's not dead," Amachi checked.

"Such a pity. She _was_ the only one to survive however," he said as he started walking away.

Anko lifted her head slightly and grabbed his pant leg, "Lord Orochimaru..."

He stopped and looked down at her, "I'm sorry dear, you lack the thirst for power. You don't have enough hatred. However, if you'd like you can come with me. What do you say?"

She sat up and her actions said that she was declining his offer. "Very well then," Orochimaru said as he and Amachi left.

He abandoned his lab, Anko, and his own flesh and blood. It would be a few days later that Leaf Village Anbu Black Ops would find Anko alone on the mainland. She was shaken badly and Orochimaru had taken the time to erase certain memories of hers. He didn't bother doing the same to Zemaria as they had seen her as dead at the time.

Zemaria wasn't really dead. The thorny plant extract had caused her to be thrown into a temporary state of suspended animation. She merely had the appearance of death. Only a day before Anko was found had Zemaria woken up. The vines cut her restraints and she had wandered around the hideout for the entire day looking for Orochimaru, Amachi, and Anko. When they were nowhere to be found, she passed out. The day after Anko was brought back to the Village, Zemaria had gone out to the mainland.

She wandered around until she got her bearings and headed in the direction of the Leaf. Halfway there Anbu spotted her on their routine border check rounds. They hung back a bit unsure of how to handle the situation. They knew it was Zemaria but they were cautious. At the time it was where there was Zemaria, there was Orochimaru so they were on guard.

"Daddy? Where are you?" She asked knowing he wouldn't have been in the direction she was headed.

"How should we proceed?" An Anbu quietly asked.

"Keep an eye on her for now," another responded.

She could hear the heartbeats of several Anbu, "Who's out there? I can hear your hearts beating."

The team of Anbu had no choice. They came out of hiding. "Where's Orochimaru?" One asked.

"If I knew that, I wouldn't be wandering around here," She told him.

"In that case, we have no choice but to take you back to the Village and interrogate you," another said.

They started to restrain her when the vines acted on their own again and took two of them out. Zemaria scared, ran off. She unwillingly injured Anbu Black Ops but they didn't know that it wasn't really her fault. They went after her to try again. One of the Anbu named Kakashi Hatake managed to inject her with a sedative. However, the vines wrapped around him of their own accord even with her knocked unconscious.

"What the-? How is this possible?" He questioned.

"Kakashi! What happened?" One asked.

"I'm not really sure. She's clearly unconscious but these vines are moving independently from her chakra control. Could it be one of Orochimaru's experiments?" He said.

The leader of the team spoke up, "Whatever it may be, we have to get her back to the Village and find out exactly what's going on here."

They did exactly that. Placing Zemaria in a special confinement box, they carried her all the way back to the Village. Tsunade determined that it was indeed Orochimaru's experimenting that caused the vines to appear and act freely from Zemaria's will. She had no current control over them or whom they attacked.

"I don't know exactly what he did but, Orochimaru definitely altered her somehow. I'll need to get a blood sample. We need to figure out what this is and if we can treat it," she told them.

The Anbu nodded. Tsunade was able to extract enough blood to do a test in order to identify the source of the vines' will. It was obvious that it wasn't a Jutsu. If it were, it would have been dispersed a while ago. For now Zemaria was being restrained in the interrogation room. She woke up after Tsunade left.

"When was the last time you saw your father?" Asked interrogation specialist Ibiki Morino.

"At least four days ago," Zemaria told him speaking softly. She was clearly upset.

"Did he perform experiments on you?" He asked.

She nodded, "Yes, he did."

His next question was also simple, "What has he done to you?"

"He injected me with a strange poison and as I laid unconscious on a table, somehow managed to create retractable animal-like claws in my fingers. The other experiment was some sort of plant extract. I heard him tell Amachi to inject the thorn plant extract into me. I'm not sure what else he might have done," she explained.

"Why would he go through the trouble of making sure you left the Village with him and then simply abandon you?" Ibiki wanted to know.

She shook her head, "I don't know. He might have thought I had died after the last experiment. I went to this place. It was a field of green grass and flowers. I wasn't alone. I had Sanbi there with me. He said I was asleep but my heart wasn't beating."

Ibiki looked at her strangely, "Sanbi?"

"Mm-hm. He's the three-tailed turtle that lives inside of me. Daddy put him there," she told him.

Ibiki turned and left the room. He went in search of the Hokage. Orochimaru the fool; he had sealed the three-tailed beast inside of Zemaria nearly half a year before he was found out. Ibiki found the Hokage in his office and told him everything Zemaria had told him so far.

"The last thing she said was that Orochimaru had sealed the three-tailed Turtle beast inside of her," he said.

Sarutobi looked concerned, "So, that fiend had gotten a hold of the three tails huh? That would explain why he insisted on making sure his daughter was with him when he fled the Village."

"You don't think he wanted to have the three tails as an advantage wherever he decided to hide and make his new home at do you?" Ibiki asked.

"It's quite possible that he knew one day I'd find out what he was up to. Zemaria and the three tails could have either been a backup plan or he intends on making his own Village and possessing his own Jinchuuriki. The only other explanation would be using her to release the beast and destroy the Village," he said coming up with multiple explanations.

"What should be done with the child?" He asked.

Sarutobi thought a moment, "See if you can find out anything else. Maybe get more information about this Amachi character and her interaction with young Anko."

Ibiki nodded, "Yes Lord Hokage." He left the room.

Zemaria grew nervous. She was in an interrogation room all alone. As far as she knew, she had done nothing wrong. Why did she have to be the one getting interrogated just because her father did experiments on people? He should be paying the price, not her. She hung her head as Ibiki entered the room once more.

"There's a little more I'd like to know before we decide on what's going to happen to you. And by that I don't mean being thrown in jail. I just mean whether you're going to be in your mother's care or not. There was another young girl found in the same area as you. Can you tell me anything you know about her?" Ibiki said to her.

"Father introduced me to her. We got along very well. She's still alive isn't she?" Zemaria said hopeful.

He nodded, "Yes, she's still alive. Do you know what he might have done to her?"

Zemaria was confused, "Wouldn't it be easier to just ask her yourself?"

"Unfortunately Orochimaru wiped her memory. She can't remember anything that's happened," he sighed.

"Last I knew she was taken off the island and I didn't see her after that," she said honestly.

"Okay. That will be all for now. I'll have Anbu release you from your restraints and escort you to the hospital for a check over," he explained.

As he left the room, a group of Anbu awaited his instructions. He told them to release her from her confinements and to make sure she arrived at the hospital safely. If Orochimaru were to get word she were alive, he might have a mind to come back for her. They released her and escorted her to the hospital. Tsunade had made arrangements for a room for her.

"Mommy?" She asked as she entered the room.

"There you are. I was worried about you when your father took you away," she said with a smile.

In truth, Tsunade had regretted sleeping with Orochimaru and had even bigger regrets going through with her pregnancy. She actually didn't want Zemaria even after she was first born. Since she looked identical to Orochimaru that was all Tsunade saw when she looked at her. Orochimaru... the traitor Sannin of the Hidden Leaf and their daughter looked exactly like him.

"I missed you mommy," she said to her.

"I missed you too kiddo," she lied. "I'll see what I can do to help her and then I'm gone from this Village. I can't stay here. I can't take all of the bloodshed and death. And I can't look at my own child without seeing _him_," she thought to herself.

"Good luck Lady Tsunade," an Anbu said as they left.

"Yeah, thanks," she responded.

Kakashi stood in the doorway and knocked on the open door, "Lord Hokage sent me here to guard Lady Zemaria. I was told that if Orochimaru learned of his daughter being alive there was a chance he'd come for her."

"Daddy..." Zemaria said quietly. She secretly wanted him to come back for her.

Out of nowhere her vines zipped across the room and wrapped around Kakashi once again. This time Zemaria was partially controlling them. Kakashi noticed that the thorns to the vines were all pointing outward away from his body. He also noticed they were dripping with poison.

"So, the vines' thorns are coated with some sort of poison. It also seems as though you're gaining your own control over them," he said as he managed to cut them from him.

"Ah!" Zemaria yelled taking a step back. A stream of blood dripped from her mouth down her lips.

Tsunade was taken back, "Zemaria!"

Kakashi was again confused, "Blood? The vines move independent from her Chakra networks yet if they're cut, they injure _her_. This makes less sense than it did in the forest." He let out a sigh trying to figure things out.

"WAH! You _hurt_ me!" Zemaria cried loudly.

The vines thrashed around and continuously struck Kakashi. It was difficult to do but he was able to dodge the vines. He couldn't cut them if it ended up hurting Zemaria. At the same time, he couldn't touch them directly with the risk of touching the poison on the thorns. And it was unknown whether the poison had an antidote or not. It was also unknown if an antidote could even be _made_.

"Ssh. It's okay. Calm down. Mother's here," Tsunade said kneeling down and embracing her.

The calmer Zemaria was, the less threatening the vines were. She started calming down as Tsunade gently rocked her back and forth in her arms. The vines stopped attacking Kakashi. It wasn't long before one of the medical Ninja came with an urgent message regarding Zemaria's blood work.

"Lady Tsunade!" He yelled, out of breath. "You have to see this!"

"What is it?" She asked still holding Zemaria in her arms.

He caught his breath, "Lady Zemaria's blood is mostly poison and thorny vine extract. No one in the medical core has _ever_ seen anything like it before."

Tsunade was shocked, "You mean to tell me that her blood is no longer normal human blood?"

He nodded, "That's correct. This could mean that she's completely immune to foreign poisons that may enter her bloodstream."

Tsunade wasn't sure how to respond to this news. Her daughter was no longer normal. What was Orochimaru's plan using her in his experiments like that? She had become this walking antidote that was also perfect for attack or defense. Was he trying to create the perfect weapon? She thought and thought, but she was only giving herself a headache trying to figure Orochimaru out. She stood up and left Zemaria alone in the room with Kakashi.

"I'm going to... clear my head. Keep an eye on her," she told him as she left.

"Of course I will Lady Tsunade," Kakashi said.

"I don't like you," she started, "You hurt me."

Kakashi was taken back, "I- I didn't mean to-,"

She pouted, "MEANIE!"

"You know... if you hadn't attacked me, I wouldn't have hurt you," he pointed out.

They had a childish argument on the subject for almost ten minutes. It wasn't like Kakashi to do something like that. In fact, he was more mature for his age normally. But Zemaria really disliked him for cutting her vines and making her bleed. She was unaware that she had little control over the vines. Tsunade had gone to the Hokage. She needed advice on what to do with her daughter.

There was no way she could stay and take care of her. Sarutobi thought otherwise. He asked Tsunade to try, at least for a year. When Zemaria turned four Tsunade could decide whether or not to stay in the Village as a Shinobi and as a mother. Convinced, she then asked him for advice on helping Zemaria control the vines Orochimaru created in her. He recommended that her memories of what he had done be erased as well as the memories of her encounter with Kakashi.

"Why Kakashi?" She asked him.

"Kakashi is an Anbu. An Anbu's identity is supposed to be kept secret. This is because it's dangerous for them. If Zemaria were to be taken captive during a mission it would jeopardize Kakshi's identity if the person interrogating her is trying to get the names of our Anbu for some reason," The Hokage explained.

"Because Anbu Black Ops retain a lot of information on the Village and the people in it. I understand," she sighed.

After their talk, Tsunade made her way back to the hospital. Jiraiya spotted her along the way and of course despite his failure to bring Orochimaru back, he flirted with her. She clobbered him and stood over him unamused by his childlike antics. He gathered himself and had a look of utter defeat on his face... along with a nice big black eye.

He pleaded, "Awe come on! Just one date. _Please_?"

She shook her head as they entered the hospital, "I said _no_! You're such a pervert Jiraiya!"

"Says the one who slept with Orochimaru," he said under his breath.

She clearly heard him and sent him flying via her massive strength after punching him in the face. Orochimaru's name became taboo to her. If she never saw him again, it would be too soon. Poor Jiraiya was propped against a wall feeling more defeated than before. He gathered himself and went inside the hospital. He decided to visit the young heir of the Sannin.

"Mommy!" Zemaria said happily.

"You'll be living with me from now on," she said.

Jiraiya was confused, "I thought you didn't like-,"

Tsunade smacked him, "Not another word!"

"Ow! What was _that_ for!?" He asked, his hand pressed against his red cheek.

Zemaria was confused but glad she had her mother at least. It may have been true that she was far closer to her father but she did love her mother as well. Kakashi was dismissed from her room. Zemaria was brought to the interrogation room the Yamanaka clan used to infiltrate one's mind and inner thoughts. They got to work erasing the memories the Hokage instructed them to.

Once they were finished, she was brought to Tsunade's home where she would stay. Zemaria thought that maybe she'd finally be happy. She'd spend the rest of her days with her mother and create happy memories and have fun. She had no idea that Tsunade would leave after her fourth birthday and leave Jiraiya in charge of taking care of her. That day had come sooner than she'd thought.

It was Zemaria's fourth birthday. Tsunade had just returned to the Village from a dangerous mission. She went to the hospital to get herself checked over and her wounds taken care of. They weren't nearly as bad as the rest of her team since she had been a medical Ninja. Little Zemaria waited for her mother's return. She waited, and waited. Hours passed by. She fell asleep at the table in the dining room. It was late and her birthday was almost over when Tsunade walked through the door.

"Zemaria?" She said walking over to her, "Honey, wake up."

Zemaria slowly opened her eyes and yawned, "Mommy?"

Tsunade handed her a present, "Happy Birthday."

She opened it excitedly. It was a Kunai. But it wasn't just _any_ Kunai. It had a custom made handle with a red blade. Carved into the handle it read "To my sweet angel. Love mom". The last thing Tsunade really wanted was for Zemaria to think her mother didn't love her. Though the truth of it was that Tsunade felt no love for her own daughter. In concerns to Zemaria it was like Tsunade and Orochimaru were the exact opposite.

It was as if someone had taken Tsunade's heart out and placed it inside of Orochimaru. He felt excessive love for his daughter while Tsunade felt absolutely nothing. Nothing but hatred at least. She didn't love her. The last thing she did was send her off to bed kissing her good-night. Once she knew she was asleep, she left her alone in the house. She found Jiraiya and asked him to take care of Zemaria for her. Orochimaru thought she was dead so it meant he wouldn't be back for her. The only other person she had known for the same amount of time was Jiraiya.

"Are you sure this is the right thing to do?" He asked her concerned.

"I am very sure about this. I can't stand the sight of her. I tried for her sake but... all I see when I look at her is _Orochimaru_. This is the only way," she told him.

Unfortunately, Zemaria had faked being asleep and had followed Tsunade. She heard everything but stayed in the shadows merely listening. Jiraiya nodded knowing he would never change her mind. Tsunade was leaving her daughter behind though she was leaving the Village on good terms unlike Orochimaru. As little Zemaria watched her mother leave the Village, she cried lightly. Her father thought she was dead and her mother felt no love toward her.

What was there left for her to live for? How could the woman who gave birth to her so easily abandon her? It wasn't Zemaria's fault for looking exactly like her father. It wasn't her choice to look like him. Zemaria even once tried to have her hair like her mother used to have it when she was young. Still nothing was different. She appeared to think it was cute but in reality it was clear now that Tsunade had faked it.

"Mother..." Zemaria said very quietly and went back to the house to pretend to be asleep.

Jiraiya entered the house, "Poor Zemaria. She's so young and now without her parents."

"Mother hates me," she said as she came down the stairs.

She couldn't fake being asleep anymore. Besides, Jiraiya had a loud heartbeat and she couldn't sleep for real knowing he was in the house. He looked at her with sadness in his eyes. How was he going to raise her when he too saw Orochimaru looking at her. Tsunade was right. It was painful to even look at this child. But he wouldn't let that stop him from raising her.

Well... not for another year at least. Jiraiya waited until Zemaria was old enough to enter into the academy to become a Shinobi. As she started her training, he left the Village to set out on his journey as said by the wise old elder toad during his training to becoming a Sage. Once class let out, Zemaria expectantly looked around for her Uncle Jiraiya but he was nowhere to be found.

"Zemaria, it's time to go," it was Lord Hokage standing there.

"Where's Uncle Jiraiya?" She asked him.

"He had to leave the Village. A wise toad had told him he was going to take a journey," he explained.

Zemaria's heart felt heavy with sadness. First her father, then her mother, and now Jiraiya. All three Sannin abandoned her. It all happened within the last three years. Who would be next she wondered. She felt so alone. Like Orochimaru, the Hokage took care of her. She lived with him in the Hokage building. To Sarutobi, it was almost like Déjà vu for him. Anyone who knew Orochimaru looked at Zemaria as if they were seeing him as a child again; before he started his experimenting. Before all of the hatred and obsession over possessing all of the Jutsu known to man and creating new forbidden Jutsu.

It was like staring into a mirror that could allow you to see the past. That's all anyone ever saw looking at little Zemaria. They saw Orochimaru when he still had his innocence. Sarutobi had no idea if she were to turn out just like him as she grew older though. He was worried he would make the same mistake with her as he did with Orochimaru; letting him live and grow only to turn into something evil. He didn't want that to happen with this child.


End file.
